If you are going to raise proceeds for charity, do not hold back on what you put into it. Throw in all the glitter, glitz and glam that you can. Invite the entire community, fill the day with music and good vibes, and then let the spontaneity and energy flow unabated – they will be contagious.
This is Springfield PrideFest. It generates a certain authentic pulse that is ineffable yet irrefutable, and maybe that is why IT readers voted it Best Charity Event. Held each May – generally the same day as the kickoff of the Old Capitol Art Fair – it's exciting to see the energy as people gather in the heart of downtown for an event that begins with a parade at noon and continues late into the night.
The drag shows attract a lot of talent. They are campy, sassy and glamorous. Sometimes outlandish, sometimes quite polished, but definitely an art form unlike any other, and filled with a whole lot of charisma, uniqueness and grit.
The festival is also a popular family-friendly event with activities for kids and adult games, too, plus food, drinks and more than 100 vendors selling Pride merchandise, T-shirts, jewelry and art.
The Phoenix Center has been putting on this party since 2011 in its effort to "support and empower central Illinois' LGBTQIA+ community with programming that promotes equity, health, well-being, social and educational growth for individuals of diverse identities and backgrounds."
It proved to be a good idea. It is an absolutely fabulous time for a fabulous cause. If you want a place to celebrate liberation, authenticity, community and diversity, Springfield PrideFest is it. Plus, it just feels good to be a part of it.
